Choosing a fader ND filter size

M

MR Fanny

Veteran
Ok so I am about to buy a fader ND. I have read that people suggest to get the largest that you can afford to accommodate any larger lenses you might have or possibly get in the future.

Good theory but the idea of having a ridiculously larger filter on the kit lens and my contax zeiss just doesn't sound all too appealing. would feel like I was shooting with a top hat. Is there any benefit in getting substantially larger filter size? what are people wacking on their kit lens?

Cheers.
 
Actually, the physical difference in size between, say a 62mm filter and a 77mm filter, isn't really all that noticeable on the front of a lens. Even with a step-up ring.

If remaining totally svelte isn't your primary concern, there are a couple of benefits to going larger. Maybe my experience will help you decide. I just ordered a 77mm Fader for a new lens (which I originally never thought I'd buy). And I already own a 67mm Fader. So not only did it cost me more, but I now need to either carry two faders or buy a 62-77mm step-up ring. My decision is complicated by the fact that I had already bought an expensive B+W circular polarizer to fit the 67mm Fader. So you can see where not following the advice of getting the largest Fader that you can afford can lead. You never know what lens you might decide to buy.

Another benefit is avoiding vignetting. My 67mm Fader (which I bought instead of the 62mm simply because they weren't in stock at the time) steps its front thread up to 72mm. And, even though my CP is a 72mm, I still get some vignetting with the kit lens at 14mm which doesn't clear until 18mm. Now add a 72mm lens hood on that set-up and the vignetting doesn't clear until about 35. Even without the CP and with the lens hood on just the Fader, I still get vignetting until about 25.

Bottom line is that the advice to "get the largest that you can afford to accommodate any larger lenses you might have or possibly get in the future" is good advice.

Here's a good place to buy step-up rings (or any other filters you might need):
http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/rings.html

That's a direct link to their step-up rings, but they offer a wide selection of filters (different brands and quality) and don't hesitate to indicate which products give the best results.
 
Yes, if you want to avoid vignetting go for 77mm fader which has 82mm front filter which will take the Circular Polarizer filter sold by the same guy...

I have 77mm fader + 82mm Circular Polarizer.
 
Thanks guys, i think i will go with that advice. going by your link tflak think ill get the 77mm ND cause the largest step up ring for 55mm is 55-77. Do you fit the ND before or after the UV filter?

BhambuNath said:
Yes, if you want to avoid vignetting go for 77mm fader which has 82mm front filter which will take the Circular Polarizer filter sold by the same guy...

I have 77mm fader + 82mm Circular Polarizer.
Click to expand...


Im still new to all this. I take it the polariser reduces glare and reflections? Example pics on his ebay store show a real blue tinge to his shots. is this characteristic of Circular polarizers?

Also did you guys get the front cap for your filters? He now offers front caps for them which is a bonus.

And one more thing, step up rings are just that right, I mean is there a good step up ring and a bad step up ring? Or are they all the same?

cheers.
 
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I think there are some plastic step up/down rings too, you should get the metal one.

The Fader ND goes on the step up ring and Polarizer will attach in front of ND. Just make sure that you get 82mm Polarizer if you are getting 77mm Fader.

The only problem with the ND Fader and circular is that on the wide shots of the sky you get one side of the sky darker than the other side.
 
Do you really need a CP on top of the ND fader? Isn't the Fader already two polorizers stacked on eachother? they claim ND 400 at the max, so I'm not sure why you are stacking another filter on the front.

-kap
 
kaplanfx said:
Do you really need a CP on top of the ND fader? Isn't the Fader already two polorizers stacked on eachother? they claim ND 400 at the max, so I'm not sure why you are stacking another filter on the front.

-kap
Click to expand...

I have a CP and a Fader and have never had occasion to use both. I think extreme glare conditions might warrant it. Like shooting on a boat in bright sun. Have had just the Fader alone remove glare from windows, etc.
 
Barry_Green said:
But, it'll screw up your skies if you try to shoot a wide shot at 14mm.
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This is getting confusing. Why will it screw up skys if it is only 62mm?

By the way, thanks for the swift response tflak, it was actually your earlier post that made me think that even a 67mm fader would vignette.
 
Polarizers and faders don't work well with wide-angle lenses, because you can see the effect of the polarization in the skies. Wides are wide enough to show enough sky that you get varying strength of polarization in the shot.
 
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